Pneumatic action for wind instruments.



No. 853,949. PATENTED MAY '21, i907. J. BINNIG.

PNEUMATIC ACTION FOR WIND INSTRUMENTS. APIELIUATION FILED JULY 10, 1905.

unrrnn STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JACOB BINNIG, OF BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-HALF TO -MASON & HAMLIN COMPANY, OF CAMBRIDGE, MASSACHUSETTS, A COR- i u mechanism by which a plurality of different by a primary pneumatic.

PORATION OF DELAWARE.

PNEUMATIC ACTION FOR WIND INSTRUMENTS- Specification of Letters Patent.

I-atented May 21, 1907.

Application filed July 10, 1905. Serial No. 268.911.

specification, like letters on the drawings representing like parts.

This invention relates to pneumatic actions for wind instruments, and especially to those in which reeds or pipes are used for producing the musical sounds, and it has for its object to provide a novel pneumatic devices may be operated by or through a single series of primary pneumatics.

According to my invention I provide a plurality of secondary pneumatics or sets of secondary pneumatics, one for each device to be operated, and control all said secondary pneumatics, or sets of secondary pneumatics, by or through a single primary pneumatic or single set of primary pneumatics.

The secondary pneumatics may be used to control any desired part of the organ or instrument, as, for instance, a pipe-valve, a stop, a coupler, a pedal, etc. For the sake of illustration, however, I have shown the secondary pneumatics as adapted to control pipe-valves.

Referring now to the drawings, Figure 1 is a view more or less diagrammatic showing parts of an organ embodying my invention; and Fig. 2 is a section through the valve mechanism of the primary pneumatic on the line 0ca;, Fig. 1.

In the drawings, 6 designates a plurality of secondary valve devices each operated by a secondary pneumatic, there being three such valve devices shown in the drawings, and7 designates a primary valve device operated This primary valve device and its associated primary pneumatic are arrangedto. control any or all of the secondary pneumatics as desired. In the present embodiment of my invention, I have illustrated each secondary valve device as controlling a pipe-valve 5, though I wish it understood that the particular device which is controlled or operated by the secondary valve devices doesnot form any part of my present invention. Each valve device 6 is shown as comprising a main or pressure chamber 27 which connects with a windchest 26 by a conduit or duct 28, and an open-ended tubular member 29 which enters the main or pressure chamber and the ends 30 and 31 of which constitute annular valveseats, a pair of valves 35 and 36 connected by a valve-stem 34 and co-operating with the valve-seats 30 and 31, respectively. Each valve stem 34 is connected to the diaphragm 32 of a secondary pneumatic 33, and each diaphragm 32 constitutes one side of the main or pressure chamber 27. Each secondary pneumatic 33 is connected by a conduit 40 to the primary valve device 7. Said primary valve device comprises a casing 41 having a partition 410 of considerable thickness which divides it into the chambers 43 and 44. Formed in the-partition 410 are a plurality of ports or ducts 45 one for each of the secondary pneumatics 33, andeach port or duct 45 communicates with the corresponding conduit 40.

Working through the partition 410 is a valve-stem 48 carrying valves 46 and 47, respectively, the valve 46*controlling the upper end of the ports 45, and the valve 47 controlling the lower ends thereof. The valve-stem is connected at one end to a diaphragm 42 forming one side of the pressure chamber 43, and at the other end to the diaphragm 49 of the primary pneumatic 50.

51 designates a Wind-chest which is connected with the pressure chamber 43.

Under normal conditions the valve 46 closes the upper end of the ducts or ports 45 because the relative size of the valve 46 and the effective area of the diaphragm 42 is such that there is a preponderance of pressure on the valve 46 suflicient to hold it closed. If,

matics will result in the operation of the particular device controlled by each secondary pneumatic.

I propose to employ suitable valves in the conduits 40, which valves may be controlled by suitable stops so that any one or all of the secondary pneumatics may be operated from the primary pneumatic according to the eifects desired to be produced.

The secondary valve devices herein illustrated are constructed for operating pipevalves, and therefore are so arranged that normally the wind pressure in the wind-chest 26 has communication with the pipe-valve, the operation of the secondary valve device from the primary pneumatic resulting in shutting off this wind pressure to allow the pipe-valve to operate. The pipe-valve herein illustrated comprises a casing 8 divided by a diaphragm 16 into what I term a supply compartment 21 and an exhaust compartment 22. The casing has a neck 9 which is adapted to enter a hole in the side of the wind-chest 3, and within the neck 9 is a tubular member 12 forming a supply passage 10 which opens into the wind-chest, said tubular member terminating at one end in a valve-seat 11 against which the diaphragm 16 operates. Said tubular member is preferably formed of the same material as the neck 9, the device being stamped into the shape shown. The neck 9 is provided with a port 141 communicating with a duct 15 which leads to the pipe 4. The diaphragm 16 is made of leather or any other suitable material and is shown as being held in place by being clamped between the walls 18 of the casing 8, and the cap 17 which fits over said walls and forms within it the exhaust compartment 22. The walls of the cap 17 are preferably ofi set slightly, as at 19, and said cap is provided with a foot portion 20 by means of which it may be secured to the wall of the wind-chest. 23 designates a ring-like packing member which is secured to the inner walls of the wind-chest and overlaps the end of the stem 9, thereby preventing any leakage of air past the stem. This particular form of pipe-valve, however, forms no part of my present invention.

The pressure may be increased in the primary pneumatic 50 in any suitable way, either by means of a key or automatically. 1 have herein shown said pneumatic as connected by a conduit 58 with the duct of a tracker-board 59 over which a perforated sheet 61 is adapted to travel, said trackerboard and sheet being inclosed within a wind-chest 60. Whenever a perforation in the sheet 61-passes over the duct in the tracker-board, wind is admitted to the primary pneumatic 50 and the latter expanded.

I have illustrated herein only one primary pneumatic and a series of secondary pneu- I claim as new and desire to secure matics operated thereby. It will be understood, of course, that if my invention is used for operating pipe-valves, there will be a series of primary pneumatics and a plurality of series of secondary pneumatics, each primary pneumatic of the series being connected to and operating the corresponding secondary pneumatic of each of the series of secondary pneumatics. As stated above, however, my invention is not limited to the use of secondary pneumatics for operating pipe-valves, the principal feature of the ill.- vention being a primary pneumatic which controls or operates any one or all of a plurality of secondary preumatics at will.

The' primary and seeotj-dary pneumatics herein show; are made e;..tirely of metal, and I prefer this construction as it overcomes the disadvantages inherent in. the ordinary wooden and leather coiistruction.

Haviizjg fully described my iiiveiitio; 1, what byLetters Patent is 1. In a wind instrument, the combiiZ-ation. with a wind chest of a plurality of secoi-idary pneumatics, a valve device i'..' te1'posed, between said wind chest arid said secondary pneumatics, said valve device haviig a separate port for each pneumatic, a valve to 0011. trol all said ports, a pneumatic for operatin said valve, and manually-co;..trolled. meat; indepeiident from said valve device for coli trolling commuiiication between. said valve device and each secondary p;;:- eumatic 2. In a wind i1;strume1..t, the combi ation with a plurality of pipe-valves of a secondary valve controllin each pipe-valve, a second ary pneumatic for each secondary valve, a sir.- gle primary valve for controlliig all the secondary p1;.eumatics, a primary pneumatic for the primary valve, and ma; ually-co1itrolled means indepei'dent from said primary valve for controlling the communication between each secondary pneumatic and the primary valve iz rlepeizdei tly.

3. In a wind instrument, the combi1..atio:1.. with a wind chest of a plurality of secondary pneumatics, a primary valve device having a port 0011111111.. 1CLt-111 with each secondary pneumatic, a primary valve for co., trolli all of said ports, a primary p;: eumatic for operating said valve, a pipe-valve co; trolled by each secondary piicumatic, and in a;; uallyoperated means iirlepeiirleiit from the primary valve for co-.trolli;1g commuicatiozz between each seco; .dary p1 .eumatic all said valve.

In testimony whereof, I have signed my name to this specification, iii. the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

JACOB BINNIG.

Witnesses:

Louis C. SMITH, MARGARET A. DUNN. 

